1/21/2008

GreenlandA brutal cold snap has been raging across the semi-autonomous nation of Greenland. On Disko Bay in western Greenland, temperatures have dropped so drastically that the WATER HAS FROZEN OVER FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A DECADE. 'The ice is up to 50cm thick. We've had loads of northerly winds since Christmas which has made the area miserably cold.' The cold weather marked a return to the frigid temperatures common a decade ago. Temperatures plunged to -25°C earlier this month, clogging the bay with ice and making shipping impossible for small crafts. The mayor cautioned against thinking that the freezing temperature indicated that global warming claims were overblown. He noted that a nearby glacier had retracted more in the past two decades than in recorded history. Although Greenland's capital, Nuuk, and much of the island saw temperatures drop below -25° C, milder temperatures appeared to be on the way in the near future.

From the Editor's DeskSkywatch Media NewsI would have to concur with their analysis. The fluctuation that is occurring across the globe is part of the extreme weather events that accompany global warming. This spring and summer we are almost certain to see temperatures continue to surge and break all time records in many parts of the world, as has been noted and recorded for years now. Nothing has really changed with respect to GW, only that the events are becoming more extreme in nature. As the mayor of Nuuk, Greenland indicated, do not be deceived into believing that GW is not real, as the glaciers are continuing to retract despite the severe cold spells.

RELATED NEWS SIBERIA - Expected temperatures of as low as minus 55 degrees Celsius (minus 67 degrees Fahrenheit) in Siberia prompted weather warnings from Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry on Wednesday.The ministry warned the UNUSUALLY cold weather could kill, cause frost-bite, cut electricity to homes, disrupt transport, increase the rate of car accidents and even destroy buildings across Siberia. In a statement, the ministry ordered regional departments to be on high alert and to contact local administration officials to prepare for the extreme chill expected to last until today. Average temperatures in large Siberian cities in January usually range between minus 15 degrees Celsius and minus 39 degrees Celsius. Two people have already died in the region of Irkutsk in central Siberia and more than 30 others have been hospitalised in Irkutsk with frost-bite. The freezing temperatures have also caused overloading of electricity grids because of heaters being switched on. That caused cut-offs to thousands of homes in the regions of Irkutsk and Tomsk. Schools have been closed down in at least four regions because of the cold.

CHINA - Heavy snow continued to fall over large parts of China on the weekend, causing traffic chaos and damaging crops. In Hubei, more than 1,000 km of highway, about half of the central province's roads, were closed since Saturday. More then 8,800 of the scheduled 9,500 long-distance coaches originating from Wuhan, Hubei's capital, were cancelled, forcing about 300,000 passengers to change travel plans. The heavy snow started on Friday and was recognized as THE MOST SERIOUS SNOWFALL SINCE 1991. The low temperature burst water pipelines and froze hydrometers, causing a drinking water shortage for 100,000 people. The snow also cut off all highways in the northern province of Shanxi. Yuexi County in the capital Hefei saw its BIGGEST EVER SNOWFALL with the maximum depth exceeding 50 cm. Traffic was blocked, while power supply and telephone lines were cut off temporarily in some towns and villages. IMAGE ABOVE: This photo shows the trapped vehicles on the highway in the region of Luowang, a well-known ancient city in the central province Henan.(Xinhua Photo)